1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to content broadcasting technology, and more particularly, to a broadcast receiver, data structure and method for providing diagnostic information.
2. Background
Generally, a content broadcast system may include a broadcasting station transmitting contents through a wired (e.g., telephone or cable) or wireless (e.g., cellular or satellite) network and at least one host, such as a broadcast receiver, that receives the contents. The broadcast receiver may include a communication interface. Where the broadcast receiver does not have a communication interface, a communication card may be used by the broadcast receiver in order to interface with the broadcasting station.
In the case of cable broadcasting, a cable broadcasting station may be a system operator (SO) headend or a multiple system operator (MSO) head end. The SO may be a unified wire broadcast provider (i.e., local cable TV broadcast provider) and the MSO may be several SOs grouped together.
A cable broadcast receiver may be a digital built-in TV, a digital ready TV, etc. The cable broadcast receiver may employ an open cable system and may use a cablecard or a point of deployment (POD) module that may include a conditional access (CA) system. Alternatively, the cable broadcast receiver may have a built-in module that is a functional equivalent of the cablecard. In this instance, the cable broadcast receiver may receive a CA system, in a form of a software, that is downloadable from the SO or MSO and stored in a memory of the cable broadcast receiver. The downloadable software is usually referred to as download conditional access system (DCAS). As such, the cable broadcast receiver may have a configuration that may or may not require a separate cablecard.
Where a cablecard is required, the cablecard may use a personal computer memory card international association (PCMCIA) standard in order to interface with the cable broadcast receiver. The cablecard may be inserted in a slot provided at the cable broadcast receiver.
Meanwhile, a host may receive and process an OpenCable Application Platform (OCAP) service provided by a headend.
That is, the host must download an OCAP-Java (OCAP-J) application, such as an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) and a monitor application transmitted from a headend located at a remote place through a cable network, and drive the application on its system.
At this time, the host includes a memory having capacity suitable for driving the OCAP-J application as determined at the time of producing a product or a memory determined by the agreement between the headend and a manufacturer, in order to download and drive the OCAP-J application on its system.
However, since there is no a limitation in an OCAP service provided by the headend, only the monitor application, the EPG containing only basic functions, and an impulse pay-per-view (IPPV) service was provided when the service starts to be provided, but, in the future, a variety of services will be provided after an OCAP service environment is stabilized.
Accordingly, as a service provided by the headend gradually becomes complicated and various, the capacity of the memory necessary for ensuring the operation of the service will gradually increase.
However, a memory included in a host which is developed and sold at a specific time point has capacity required at that time. Therefore, when the service provided by the headend becomes complicated and various and the capacity of the memory required by the service increases, the memory included in the host no longer ensures the normal operation of the received service.
Such a problem cannot be solved by replacing a set-top box leased from the headend with a new set-top box.